South Beach diet while nursing?

[laurajetter]

I intend on finding out for sure from my doctor, but in the meantime I thought I'd check with you guys... Does anyone know if it is okay to go on the South Beach diet while breastfeeding? I noticed the first 2 weeks basically kickstart you into the diet, cutting out almost all carbs, which includes fruit. I think the purpose is to retrain your tastebuds to not crave sugar and then after the 2 weeks, the omitted foods are slowly introduced back into the diet.

I've never really followed a "diet" before, if I needed to lose weight I would just eat healthier foods, and cut out junk food. Now, however, I am more overweight than I ever have been (giving birth followed by the holidays didn't help matters much!) and I really want to get started losing weight, but I need to make sure it's done in a healthy manner. I know many people who have lost weight on the South Beach diet, and from what I've read about it, it seems like there is a pretty good concept behind it (I am usually leary of "diets".)

That's why I want to find out if it is safe to do those strict 2 weeks while breastfeeding. I don't want to deprive my baby of anything since I can't eat fruits, but then again I really haven't been eating so well anyway, now that I think about it. At least the items I would be allowed to eat are wholesome foods, they just cut out the carbohydrates.

Anyway, I was just curious if anyone knows if South Beach is okay while breastfeeding or not.

 

[disykat]

I would skip the first two weeks. It might be harder, because you wouldn't have the "cut the cravings" benefits or the jumpstart effect, but it would be worth not worrying about he lack of whole grain or fruit.

 

[katerkat]

I don't know about South Beach - but I just wanted to say, I've done things both "right' (ate good and exercised) and "wrong" (lounged around and ate Dunkin Donuts) after my son was born, and I haven't lost/gained a pound since the first two weeks. I think my body is keeping the extra fat around in case he needs some. Not that you shouldn't try to eat right, but just know that some women just don't lose weight easily while breastfeeding.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I don't have any experience with South Beach, but I did do Weight Watchers while nursing and after awhile I even cut out the extra "nursing points."

I kept a very close tab on my milk supply though. I would feed the baby every morning and then pump some milk to freeze or keep in the refrigerator for Dad to feed him at night. When it got to the point where I wasn't producing a couple of extra ounces on each side, I would up my calories that day.

 

[caitycaity]

i was gonna say -- we have a couple people in our weight watchers group that bf and it seems to be working well for them. if your dr advises you against south beach, you might try ww.